-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Joel Osteen is the senior pastor for the Lakewood Church in Houston , Texas . It 's America 's largest congregation . His wife , Victoria Osteen , is the co-pastor there .

Joel and Victoria Osteen appear on `` Larry King Live '' Tuesday night .

The Osteens , known for their optimistic outlook on life , visited `` Larry King Live '' Tuesday night for a wide-ranging interview that covered President Obama , same-sex marriage , the recent outbreak of mass shootings , the state of religion in America and more .

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity :

Larry King : Since you were last on , we have sworn in our first African-American president . What are your impressions -LSB- of Barack Obama -RSB- ?

Joel Osteen : Well , I think he 's doing a great job . I 'm impressed with his skill , his calmness , his just strength under pressure . These are tough times for him .

King : And you , Victoria ?

Victoria Osteen : I 've been really impressed . In fact , I 've been impressed -LSB- with -RSB- the first lady . She stepped up , and she 's done a remarkable job .

King : Recent polls show 12 percent of Americans still believe Obama is a Muslim , and 35 percent say they do n't know his religion , but to most of them it do n't matter . Should it matter ?

Joel Osteen : Well , it matters to me . It matters to me that I know he loves the Lord , and I think it 's important that he has convictions from his faith . So to me , it matters when I 'm making my personal decisions .

King : Does it matter to you , Victoria ?

Victoria Osteen : It does . It matters to me . ... I believe he is a Christian .

King : The `` Hope for Today Bible . '' This is a new Bible -LSB- from you -RSB- . How is this different from other Bibles ?

Joel Osteen : It 's a living translation of the Bible , which is an easy version to read . And then it 's got our notes besides certain passages . And it 's just to help people maybe to understand the Bible a little bit easier .

King : Do you think that eventually many more states are going to allow same-sex marriage ?

Joel Osteen : You know , I do n't know where it 's all going ... I 'd love to see it stay between a male and a female , not knocking anybody else .

King : Supposing there were more states that had it . What would be the harm ?

Victoria Osteen : We really want to see marriage between a man and a woman . There -LSB- are -RSB- going to be people who get together and have relationships and have what they call their families . But I just think marriage should be sanctified by the church . It should be between a man and a woman .

King : Should a gay couple be allowed to adopt ?

Joel Osteen : I think that , again , it 's best for a male and a female . I 'm not saying that gay people are n't good people . ...

King : Or good parents . Watch Larry King 's interview with the Osteens ''

Joel Osteen : Yeah , exactly . But again , I like to shoot for God 's best , and that is a father and a mother in the home . It does n't always happen . I know a lot of people raised by single parents . And you know what ? We bless them and pray for them as well . But I think God 's best is a male and female .

King : In the new issue of Newsweek , the lead story by Jon Meacham is `` The Decline and Fall of Christian America . '' Just off the premise of that headline , do you accept that ? That Christian America is in trouble ?

Joel Osteen : I 'm trying to think where he 's coming from . ... I see faith in America at an all-time high .

King : The Newsweek article quotes our Albert Mohler Jr. . And he 's president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary . And he said , `` The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern , post-Christian , post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the heart of our very culture . ''

Joel Osteen : Well , he 's a smart man and I respect him . You know , maybe what he 's saying is true . ... America is more diverse than it was 50 years ago . And I do n't know that that means we as Christians are any less . I would like to think our influence is still there . ... And I 'm sure I 'm an optimistic by nature .

King : What do you make of these mass shootings ?

Joel Osteen : You know , it 's really sad . People get deranged . People get confused . ... I believe there are dark forces in our world . There are evil forces that , unfortunately , we can give into . And some of it is just from depression , just that mental illness .

King : Do you pray for them , Victoria ? The shooters ?

Victoria Osteen : Oh , absolutely . You 've got to pray for them . They 're obviously tormented . They 're deceived and not cherishing life . ... So yeah , we do pray for them .

King : We 've had a mass depression in this country , recession . Do you think that might be at the core of some of these things ?

Victoria Osteen : I think it is . When you 've lost your job and you 've just been beaten down and you do n't see any future , it 's easy to start letting those negative thoughts play . ... You do n't have anything to live for . It 's never going to get any better . And I think that if you do n't watch it , you 'll just spiral down and down and down .

And that is why we feel so strongly about just giving people hope . Even at your lowest moment , you never know what God can do . He can turn any situation around . You can be just one night from getting the break you need , getting the job you want .

King : How do you deal with death , having to console people -LSB- who are -RSB- dying ?

Joel Osteen : Well , it 's difficult . But Larry , we have the hope of heaven . We believe we 'll see our loved ones again . And as hard as it is , we 'll just try to encourage people that death is just a separation . ... I lost my dad 10 years ago , and he was my best friend . But it 's amazing the peace that God gave me . So I believe that God can give you a strength and a new beginning .

King : Where do you believe he is ?

Joel Osteen : I believe he 's in heaven .

King : Which is a place . ...

Joel Osteen : I believe it 's a real place . ... You 've had people on a lot about near death experience , and I 've talked to them too , how they 've had an accident and all of a sudden , they 're up watching themselves . And I believe that our spirit 's on the inside .

My belief as a Christian is when we receive Christ as salvation that that gives us a guarantee for heaven .

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Joel and Victoria Osteen pastor America 's largest church , visit `` Larry King Live ''

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Joel Osteen would like to see marriage stay between man and woman

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Victoria Osteen says we need to pray for troubled , violent people

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Her advice if you 're facing hard times : God `` can turn any situation around ''